Category Archives: Greek Tragedy

In today’s episode we wrap up Greek Tragedy, so I have one question for you: What does Greek Tragedy teach us about being human?

Just as Charles Dickens died before he finished writing The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Euripides died before he finished Iphigenia at Aulis. But unlike Dickens, Euripides had a descendant to finish the writing for him. Discussion Prompts What does this play have to say about family loyalty? Where do you think this play should end? Why? DoContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXXIV: Euripides’s Iphigenia at Aulis, or the Mystery of Iphi Drood”

Whatever you do, don’t question Dionysos’s divinity! Discussion Prompts Traditionally, maenads are women. How would you cast the chorus of maenads if you were directing today? Some of the humor in this play originally derived from Pentheus being dressed up as a woman. How would you handle that scene if you were directing this playContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXXIII: Euripides’s Bacchae, or, Dude, Dionysos Gets Dark”

We aren’t quite done with variations on the story of Orestes, as we see in today’s play from Euripides. I’ve told you that my brain makes fun connections. Here’s where my brain went when I was putting together today’s episode. Discussion Prompts Why is the focus on the murder of Clytaemestra and not Aegisthus? APContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXXII: Euripides’s Orestes, or Mourning Does Not Become Orestes”

We’ve studied comedies. We’ve studied tragedies. But there was a third man… I mean type of play in Ancient Greece. Today we cover the only surviving Satyr Play. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Compare/Contrast Homer’s The Odyssey with Euripides’s The Cyclops. What do you think about the changes Euripides makes to the story of Odysseus andContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXX: Euripides’s The Cyclops, or The Last Satyr… Play”

Helen is alive and well and living and Egypt when everyone thought she was in Troy. Surprise! Discussion Prompts Euripides was from Athens; Menelaos is from Sparta. What does this play have to say about how Athenians feel about Spartans? Why? What does this play have to say about war? Explain. Which Helen do youContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXIX: Euripides’s Helen, or Dr Livingston, I Presume?”

To keep us on our toes, today we have another tragedy from Euripides that isn’t completely tragic. Discussion Prompts Ion is about 20 years old. If you were directing this today, how old would you make Creusa? Why? What does this play have to say about religion, fate, the power of the gods, free will,Continue reading “Greek Tragedy XXVIII: Euripides’s Ion, or Is that Another Happy Ending?”

I told you that Euripides just keeps getting darker and darker the farther we get into his career.  Well, I lied.  Iphigenia in Tauris is a surprisingly light play, at least compared to the rest of the tragedies of Euripides. Discussion Prompts: Is Iphigenia really alive? Why or why not? Why does Athena appear at the end? WhyContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXVII: Euripides’s Iphigenia in Tauris, or She’s Only Mostly Dead”

I told you that Euripides just keeps getting darker and darker the farther we get into his career. The Trojan Women is pretty grim. A content warning: This play contains a rather grisly infanticide. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Putting this play in the context of the time in which it was written (during the PeloponnesianContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXVI: Euripides’s Trojan Women, or It’s Always Darkest Before It Goes Pitch Black”

In Disney’s Hercules, we see how Meg and Herc meet and fall in love. In Euripides’s Herakles, we see how Megara and Herakles… well… Let’s just say that the ending isn’t pretty… Discussion Prompts What does this play have to say about the role of the gods in the lives of mere mortals? This playContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXV: Euripides’s Heracles, or Not to Be Confused with Disney’s Hercules”